Network listening method of a mobile phone

ABSTRACT

A network listening method of a mobile phone is provided. The mobile phone includes a code division multiple access (CDMA) chip and two user identity module (UIM) cards. The network listening method executes a first network listening method to listen to a communication network, if a listening frequency of the first UIM card equals a listening frequency of the second UIM card and the listening channel of first UIM card equals the listening channel of the second UIM card. The network listening method further executes a second network listening method to listen to the communication network, if the listening frequency of the first UIM card does not equal the listening frequency of the second UIM card and/or the listening channel of first UIM card does not equal the listening channel of second UIM card.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a divisional application of U.S. Ser. No.12/577,256, filed on Oct. 12, 2009, the entire disclosure of which isincorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to mobile phonesand communication methods of the mobile phones, and more particularly toa network listening method of a mobile phone having a single codedivision multiple access (CDMA) chip and two user identity module (UIM)cards.

2. Description of Related Art

Generally, a UIM is a card used in a mobile phone, and is composed of amicroprocessor and a memory chip. Information, such as telephone numbersand network numbers, are usually stored in the memory chip of the UIMcard. Therefore, the mobile phone can be provided with a call service bymounting the UIM card 6 to another mobile phone which supports a UIMinterface.

A mobile phone may include one or more CDMA chips, such as a single CDMAmobile phone or a dual CDMA mobile phone. However, the single CDMAmobile phone is not adapted for two UIM cards. To use a dual-modefunction of a mobile phone, the mobile phone should include two CDMAchips to adapt for two UIM cards correspondingly. Therefore, thepracticability of the dual-mode function of the CDMA mobile phone isreduced.

Accordingly, there is a need for a network listening method used in amobile phone having a single CDMA chip and two UIM cards, so as toovercome the above-mentioned problems.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a mobile phone havinga CDMA chip and two UIM cards.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a communication mode of themobile phone of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of one embodiment of a network listening method byusing the mobile phone of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of detailed descriptions of S21 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of detailed descriptions of S23 in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The invention is illustrated by way of example and not by way oflimitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which likereferences indicate similar elements. It should be noted that referencesto “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily tothe same embodiment, and such references mean at least one.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a mobile phone 10. Inone embodiment, the mobile phone 10 includes a code division multipleaccess (CDMA) chip 3, and two user identity module (UIM) cards 6 (i.e.,a UIM1 card and a UIM2 card). Each of the UIM card 6 may be composed ofa microprocessor and a memory chip. Information, such as telephonenumbers and network numbers, may be stored in the memory chip of the UIMcards 6. The mobile phone 10 may further include a physical controllayer (denoted as “L1”) 1, a data link layer (denoted as “L2”) 2, a callmanager 4, and a user interface (UI) 5. The physical control layer 1connects to the data link layer 2 and the CDMA chip 3, each of which canexchange communication data therein. The call manager 4 connects to theCDMA 3 and the user interface 4, and manages an incoming or outgoingcall from each of the UIM cards 6.

The physical control layer 1 provides a physical interface forcontrolling the data link layer 2 to communicate with the CDMA chip 3.For example, if the mobile phone 10 receives a call from a communicationnetwork 7, the physical control layer 1 receives communication data(e.g., audio signals) from the communication network 7, and transfersthe communication data to the CDMA chip 3. After the CDMA chip 3processes the communication data, the physical control layer 1 transmitsthe processed data to the communication network 7.

The data link layer 2 may includes a data transmitting module 21, a datareceiving module 22 and a security monitor module 23. Each of thefunction modules 21-23 may comprise one or more computerized operationsexecutable by the CDMA chip 3 of the mobile phone 10. In general, theword “module,” as used herein, refers to logic embodied in hardware orfirmware, or to a collection of software instructions, written in aprogramming language, such as, for example, Java, C, or assembly. One ormore software instructions in the modules may be embedded in firmware,such as an EPROM. The modules described herein may be implemented aseither software and/or hardware modules and may be stored in any type ofnon-transitory computer-readable medium or other storage device of themobile phone 10. The data transmitting module 21 is operable to send theprocessed data to the communication network 7 via the physical controllayer 1. The data receiving module 22 is operable to receive thecommunication data from the communication network 7 through the physicalcontrol layer 1. The security monitor module 23 connects to the two UIMcards 6 (i.e., the UIM1 card 6 and the UIM2 card 6), and authorizes useridentification of the mobile phone 10 to log in the communicationnetwork 7.

The CDMA chip 3 is operable to process the communication datatransmitted from the data link layer 2, and records network listeningparameters in each of the UIM cards 6. In one embodiment, the networklistening parameters may include a listening frequency, a listeningchannel, and a listening time when each of the UIM cards 6 listens tothe communication network 7. For example, when the UIM1 card 6 listensto the communication network 7, the CDMA chip 3 records the listeningfrequency (e.g., 12000 Hz) to the UIM1 card 6, and the listening channel(e.g., No. 2 listening channel) to the UIM1 card 6. After the UIM1 card6 logs in the communication network 7, the CDMA chip 3 calculates thelistening time (e.g., 5 seconds) for the UIM1 card 6, and then recordsthe listening time in the UIM1 card 6.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a communication mode of themobile phone 10. In the embodiment, “L1” represents the physical controllayer 1, and “L2” represents the data link layer 2. “TX” represents thedata transmitting module 21, and “RX” represents the data receivingmodule 22 of the data link layer 2.

In one embodiment with respect to FIG. 2, it is assumed that the mobilephone 10 initially adopts the UIM1 card 6 to listen to the communicationnetwork 7. The CDMA chip 3 sends a plurality of waking parameters towake up the UIM1 card 6. The waking parameters may include L1_WAKEUP_R,L1_REACQ_R, RX_WAKEUP_M, for example. The UIM1 card 6 informs the CDMAchip 3 to receive messages from the communication network 7 through RXof L2 when the listening time arrives. When the UIM1 card 6 is notwakened up, the CDMA chip 3 determines whether a listening frequency ofthe mobile phone 10 matches the UIM2 card 6. If the listening frequencymatches the UIM2 card 6, L1 sends the waking parameters to wake up theUIM2 card 6, and sends sleep parameters to control the UIM1 card 6 to bein a sleep state. The sleep parameters may include L1_SLEEP_M, andL1_REACQ_R, for example. After the UIM2 card 6 is wakened up, the UIM2card 6 informs the CDMA chip 3 to receive messages from thecommunication network 7 through RX of L2 when the listening timearrives.

When the UIM2 card 6 is not wakened up, the CDMA chip 3 determineswhether the listening frequency of the mobile phone 10 matches the UIM1card 6. If the listening frequency matches the UIM1 card 6, L1 sends thewaking parameters to wake up the UIM1 card 6, and sends sleep parametersto control the UIM2 card 6 to be in a sleep state. After the UIM1 card 6is wakened up, the UIM1 card 6 informs the CDMA chip 3 to receivemessages from the listening channel through RX of L2 when the listeningtime arrives.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of one embodiment of a network listening method byusing the mobile phone 10, for example, that of FIG. 1. Depending on theembodiment, additional blocks may be added, others removed, and theordering of blocks may be changed.

In block S10, the physical control layer 1 initializes the UIM1 card 6and the UIM2 card 6 of the mobile phone 10. In block S11, the physicalcontrol layer 1 obtains an identification of the UIM1 card 6. In blockS12, the physical control layer 1 searches the communication network 7based on a CDMA network protocol by using the UIM1 card 6. In block S13,the CDMA chip 3 records network listening parameters of the UIM1 card 6.As mentioned above, the network listening parameters include a listeningfrequency, a listening channel, and a listening time when each of theUIM cards 6 listens to the communication network 7. In block S14, theCDMA chip 3 controls the UIM1 card 6 to log in the communication network7 according to the network listening parameters of the UIM1 card 6.

In block S15, the CDMA chip 3 determines whether the UIM2 card 6 is in awaken state or in a sleep state. If the UIM2 card 6 is in a waken state,in block S16, the physical control layer 1 obtains an identification ofthe UIM2 card 6. Otherwise, if the UIM2 card 6 is in a sleep state, theprocedure goes to block S20 as described below. In block S17, thephysical control layer 1 searches the communication network 7 based on aCDMA network protocol using the UIM2 card 6. In block S18, the CDMA chip3 records the network listening parameters of the UIM2 card 6. In blockS19, the CDMA chip 3 controls the UIM2 card 6 to log in thecommunication network 7 according to the network listening parameters ofthe UIM2 card 6.

In block S20, the CDMA chip 3 determines whether the listening frequencyof the UIM1 card 6 equals the listening frequency of the UIM2 card 6,and determines whether the listening channel of the UIM1 card 6 equalsthe listening channel of the UIM2 card 6. If the listening frequency ofthe UIM1 card 6 equals the listening frequency of the UIM2 card 6, andthe listening channel of the UIM1 card 6 equals the listening channel ofthe UIM2 card 6, in block S21, the CDMA chip 3 executes a first networklistening method to listen to the communication network 7. Details ofthe first network listening method are described as shown in FIG. 4below.

Otherwise, if the listening frequency of the UIM1 card 6 does not equalthe listening frequency of the UIM2 card 6, and/or the listening channelof the UIM1 card 6 does not equal the listening channel of the UIM2 card6, in block S23, the CDMA chip 3 executes a second network listeningmethod to listen to the communication network 7. Details of the secondnetwork listening method are described as shown in FIG. 5 below.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of detailed descriptions of S21 in FIG. 3.Depending on the embodiment, additional blocks may be added, othersremoved, and the ordering of blocks may be changed.

In block S210, the CDMA chip 3 determines whether the listening time ofthe UIM1 card 6 equals the listening time of the UIM2 card 6. If thelistening time of the UIM1 card 6 equals the listening time of the UIM2card 6, the procedure goes to block S211 as described below. Otherwise,if listening time of the UIM1 card 6 does not equal the listening timeof the UIM2 card 6, the procedure goes to block S219 as described below.

In block S211, the CDMA chip 3 configures the network listeningparameters of the

UIM1 card 6 to the physical control layer 1. In block S212, the CDMAchip 3 controls the physical control layer 1 to be in a sleep state towait for messages from the communication network 7. In block S213, thephysical control layer 1 sends the messages to the UIM1 card 6. In blockS213, the CDMA chip 3 determines whether the messages match the UIM1card 6 according to the listening parameters. If the messages match theUIM1 card 6, the procedure goes to block S225 as described below.Otherwise, if the messages do not match the UIM1 card 6, in block S215,the CDMA chip 3 configures the network listening parameters of the UIM2card 6 to the physical control layer 1. In block S216, the physicalcontrol layer 1 sends the messages to the UIM2 card 6. In block S218,the CDMA chip 3 determines whether the messages match the UIM2 card 6according to the listening parameters. If the messages match the UIM2card 6, the procedure goes to block S225 as described below. Otherwise,if the messages do not match the UIM2 card 6, the procedure returns toblock S211 as described above.

In block S219, the CDMA chip 3 configures the network listeningparameters of the UIM2 card 6 to the physical control layer 1. In blockS220, the CDMA chip 3 controls the physical control layer 1 to be in asleep state to wait for messages from the communication network 7. Inblock S221, the physical control layer 1 sends the messages to the UIM2card 6. In block S222, the CDMA chip 3 determines whether the messagesmatch the UIM2 card 6 according to the listening parameters. If themessages match the UIM2 card 6, the procedure goes to block S225 asdescribed below. Otherwise, if the messages do not match the UIM2 card6, in block S223, the CDMA chip 3 determines whether the messages matchthe UIM1 card 6 according to the listening parameters. If the messagesmatch the UIM1 card 6, the procedure goes to block S225 as describedbelow. Otherwise, if the messages do not match the UIM1 card 6, in blockS224, the CDMA chip 3 determines whether the listening time of the UIM1card 6 and the UIM2 card 6 expire. If the listening time of the UIM1card 6 and the UIM2 card 6 expire, the procedure returns to block S220as described above. If one of the listening time of the UIM1 card 6 andthe UIM2 card 6 does not expire, the procedure returns to block S221.

As described in block S216, S218, S222, and S223, if the messages matcheither the UIM1 card 6 or the UIM2 card 6, in block S225, the CDMA chip3 responds to the communication network 7 by using the UIM1 card 6 orthe UIM2 card 6.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of detailed descriptions of S23 in FIG. 3.Depending on the embodiment, additional blocks may be added, othersremoved, and the ordering of blocks may be changed.

In block S230, the CDMA chip 3 determines whether the listening time ofthe UIM1 card 6 equals the listening time of the UIM2 card 6. If thelistening time of the UIM1 card 6 equals the listening time of the UIM2card 6, in block S231, the CDMA chip 3 configures the network listeningparameters of the UIM1 card 6 to the physical control layer 1.Otherwise, if the listening time of the UIM1 card 6 does not equal thelistening time of the UIM2 card 6, the procedure also goes to block S231as described above.

In block S232, the CDMA chip 3 controls the physical control layer 1 tobe in a sleep state receiving messages from the communication network 7.In block S233, the CDMA chip 3 sends the messages to the UIM1 card 6. Inblock S234, the CDMA chip 3 determines whether the messages match theUIM1 card 6 according to the listening parameters. If the messages matchthe UIM1 card 6, in block S242, the CDMA chip 3 responds to thecommunication network 7 by using the UIM1 card 6. Otherwise, if themessages do not match the UIM1 card 6, in block S235, the CDMA chip 3determines whether the communication frequency equals the listeningfrequency of the UIM1 card 6. If the communication frequency does notequal the listening frequency of the UIM1 card 6, in block S236, theCDMA chip 3 switches the communication frequency to the listeningfrequency of the UIM2 card 6. Otherwise, if the communication frequencyequals the listening frequency of the UIM1 card 6, the procedure goes toblock S237 as described below.

In block S237, the CDMA chip 3 configures the network listeningparameters of the UIM2 card 6 to the physical control layer 1. In blockS238, the CDMA chip 3 sends the messages to the UIM2 card 6. In blockS239, the CDMA chip 3 determines whether the messages match the UIM2card 6 according to the listening parameters. If the messages match theUIM2 card 6, in block S242, the CDMA chip 3 responds to thecommunication network 7 by using the UIM2 card 6. Otherwise, if themessages do not match the UIM2 card 6, in block S240, the CDMA chip 3determines whether the communication channel matches the listeningchannel of the UIM2 card 6.

If the communication channel does not match the listening channel of theUIM2 card 6, in block S241, the CDMA chip 3 switches the communicationchannel to the listening channel of the UIM1 card 6. Otherwise, if thecommunication channel matches the listening channel of the UIM2 card 6,in block S242, the CDMA chip 3 responds to the communication network 7by using the UIM2 card 6.

As described in block S230, if the listening time of the UIM2 card 6equals the listening time of the UIM2 card 6, the listening frequencyand the listening channel of the UIM1 card 6 are switched to thelistening frequency and the listening channel of the UIM2 card 6 in aperiod of the listening time. Otherwise, if the listening time of theUIM1 card 6 does not equal the listening time of the UIM2 card 6, thelistening frequency and the listening channel of the UIM1 card 6 areswitched to the listening frequency and the listening channel of theUIM2 card 6 in two periods of the listening time.

Although certain inventive embodiments of the present disclosure havebeen specifically described, the present disclosure is not to beconstrued as being limited thereto. Various changes or modifications maybe made to the present disclosure without departing from the scope andspirit of the present disclosure.

1. A network listening method of a mobile phone comprising a codedivision multiple access (CDMA) chip, a first user identity module (UIM)card, and a second UIM card, the network listening method comprising:searching a communication network based on a CDMA network protocol usingthe first UIM card when the first UIM card is wakened up; recordingnetwork listening parameters of the first UIM card in the CDMA chip, thenetwork listening parameters of the first UIM card comprising alistening frequency of the first UIM card, a listening channel of thefirst UIM card, and a listening time of the first UIM card; determiningwhether a communication frequency of the communication network equalsthe listening frequency of the first UIM card; switching thecommunication frequency to a listening frequency of the second UIM cardif the communication frequency does not equal the listening frequency ofthe first UIM card, or determining whether a communication channel ofthe communication network matches the listening channel of the first UIMcard if the communication frequency equals a listening frequency of thefirst UIM card; responding to the communication network using the firstUIM card if the communication channel matches the listening channel ofthe first UIM card; searching a communication network based on the CDMAnetwork protocol using the second UIM card when the second UIM card iswakened up and recording network listening parameters of the second UIMcard in the CDMA chip, if the communication channel does not match thelistening channel of the first UIM card; and switching the communicationchannel to a listening channel of the second UIM card, and responding tothe communication network according to the network listening parametersof the second UIM card.
 2. The network listening method according toclaim 1, wherein the listening frequency and the listening channel ofthe first UIM card are switched to the listening frequency and thelistening channel of the second UIM card in a period of the listeningtime of the first UIM card, if the listening time of the first UIM cardequals the listening time of the second UIM card.
 3. The networklistening method according to claim 1, wherein the listening frequencyand the listening channel of the first UIM card are switched to thelistening frequency and the listening channel of the second UIM card intwo periods of the listening time of the first UIM card, if thelistening time of the first UIM card doe not equal the listening time ofthe second UIM card.
 4. A non-transitory computer readable medium havingstored thereon instructions that, when executed by a code divisionmultiple access (CDMA) chip of a mobile phone, cause the mobile phone toperform network listening method, the method comprising: searching acommunication network based on a CDMA network protocol using the firstUIM card when the first UIM card is wakened up; recording networklistening parameters of the first UIM card in the CDMA chip, the networklistening parameters of the first UIM card comprising a listeningfrequency of the first UIM card, a listening channel of the first UIMcard, and a listening time of the first UIM card; determining whether acommunication frequency of the communication network equals thelistening frequency of the first UIM card; switching the communicationfrequency to a listening frequency of the second UIM card if thecommunication frequency does not equal the listening frequency of thefirst UIM card, or determining whether a communication channel of thecommunication network matches the listening channel of the first UIMcard if the communication frequency equals the listening frequency ofthe first UIM card; responding to the communication network using thefirst UIM card if the communication channel matches the listeningchannel of the first UIM card; searching a communication network basedon the CDMA network protocol using the second UIM card when the secondUIM card is wakened up and recording network listening parameters of thesecond UIM card in the CDMA chip, if the communication channel does notmatch the listening channel of the first UIM card; and switching thecommunication channel to a listening channel of the second UIM card, andresponding to the communication network according to the networklistening parameters of the second UIM card.
 5. The medium according toclaim 4, wherein the listening frequency and the listening channel ofthe first UIM card are switched to the listening frequency and thelistening channel of the second UIM card in a period of the listeningtime of the first UIM card, if the listening time of the first UIM cardequals the listening time of the second UIM card.
 6. The mediumaccording to claim 4, wherein the listening frequency and the listeningchannel of the first UIM card are switched to the listening frequencyand the listening channel of the second UIM card in two periods of thelistening time of the first UIM card, if the listening time of the firstUIM card doe not equal the listening time of the second UIM card.